Japanese Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri Leads Practice Session Amid McLaren's Strong Showing Oscar Piastri of McLaren set the fastest time in Friday practice at the Japanese Grand Prix, finishing 0.092 seconds ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli and 0.205 seconds faster than George Russell of Mercedes. Piastri’s performance surprised Russell, who noted McLaren’s pace was unexpectedly strong despite the team’s struggles in the early part of the 2026 season. Russell, leading the championship after two races, admitted there was still room for improvement, stating, “McLaren were pretty fast, so a little bit of a surprise. Still some improvements to do, so a bit of work to do tonight.” Piastri’s lead was further highlighted by the performance of Lando Norris, who finished fourth fastest with McLaren’s second car. Norris faced challenges during the final session due to a hydraulic leak and off-track incidents, but his pace remained ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli, who secured his first Grand Prix victory in China, finished second, while Russell’s time was 0.113 seconds slower than Antonelli’s. Russell attributed his slower pace to energy management issues, particularly in Spoon corner, which affected his battery levels during the lap. Deputy team principal Bradley Lord explained that Antonelli’s driving style through Spoon allowed him to conserve energy better, while Russell’s approach hit the harvesting limit earlier, costing him speed in the final corner. “That’s something we’ll look at overnight,” Lord said. Mercedes, despite their strong pace in race simulations, remained confident in their championship position. Antonelli led the qualifying simulations, with Russell and Piastri trailing. Piastri, however, was 0.25 seconds slower than Antonelli on average and 0.#oscar_piastri #george_russell #kim_i_antonielli #japanese_grand_prix #mc_laren
‘Every lap is survival’: Max Verstappen reflects on F1 Chinese GP qualifying woe Max Verstappen described his performance in the Chinese Grand Prix as a battle for survival, after qualifying eighth and failing to finish in the points during the sprint race. The four-time world champion criticized his Red Bull’s lack of balance, calling it “undriveable” and admitting his efforts were reduced to simply completing laps. Verstappen’s frustration began before the race, as he dismissed his car on Friday as “the worst we’ve ever had.” Despite setup changes intended to improve performance, the Dutch driver saw no progress in qualifying, finishing a full second slower than pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes. “We change a lot on the car, and it makes zero difference,” he said. “The whole weekend we’ve been off. The car is completely undriveable. I cannot even put a bit of a reference in. Every lap is like survival.” The Red Bull’s struggles were evident in both qualifying and the sprint race, where Verstappen finished ninth. His teammate Isack Hadjar also struggled, placing 15th in the sprint and ninth in qualifying. The team’s RB22 lacked balance, making it nearly impossible to push for a fast lap. “It’s very inconsistent. Whatever lap I do, I am like: ‘All right, well, that is it,’” Verstappen added. “Can I go four 10ths faster? Maybe. Can I go four 10ths slower? Yeah, that’s a big chance as well because it’s just all over the place. It’s just incredibly difficult. It’s incredibly tough to drive. There’s no balance, I cannot lean on the car. Every lap is a fight.” Red Bull’s decision to build their own engines for the first time did not translate to race-day success. Despite pre-season testing showing promise, the team faced a significant gap to Ferrari and Mercedes.#red_bull #mclaren #max_verstappen #laurent_mekies #kim_i_antonielli
F1's New Rules Spark 'Mario Kart'-Style Racing at Australia Opener MELBOURNE, Australia — For 12 thrilling laps, as George Russell and Charles Leclerc swapped the lead of the Australian Grand Prix, it was easy to forget the controversy surrounding Formula 1’s new regulations that dominated the opening weekend of the 2026 season. The two drivers, both vying for their first drivers’ championships, delivered a spectacle for the Albert Park crowd with a series of dramatic overtakes. Russell and Leclerc’s battle intensified until the virtual safety car allowed Mercedes to pit, a move Ferrari chose not to replicate, ultimately leading to a Mercedes one-two finish with Kimi Antonelli in second. The race marked a rare positive moment for F1 after a tumultuous start to the new era, which introduced redesigned cars and a controversial 50-50 split between combustion and electrical power in the power units. Russell and Leclerc’s duel provided a glimmer of hope, with F1 highlighting that Sunday’s race featured 120 overtakes—triple the number from last year’s opener. Leclerc and Russell contributed seven of those in the opening stint, offering a brief reprieve from the sport’s recent struggles. However, the weekend was a mix of highs and lows. While the race showcased thrilling action, the pre-race mood was heavily negative. Drivers had criticized the new cars after qualifying, with world champions Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Lando Norris expressing frustration. Norris called the new cars “the worst” ever, and the paddock was steeped in pessimism, worsened by Mercedes’ dominant front-row lockout. Russell and Leclerc’s battle helped lift some of the gloom, but the broader concerns about the new rules remained.#charles_leclerc #ferrari #george_russell #formula_1 #kim_i_antonielli
